Deuteronomy 15

1 At the end [conclusion, or extremity] of every seven years you must [make, do, or bring about] cancel debts [a forgiveness of financial obligations, letting go of what is owed]. word study 2 This is the manner of remission [release from debt, a temporary suspension of labor]: Every creditor [master, owner] shall cancel [release, let go] what he has loaned [given with the expectation of repayment] to his neighbor [friend, companion]. He is not to collect [exact, demand] anything from his neighbor [fellow, brother] or brother [male sibling, close relative], because the LORD’s [Yehovah, the supreme God] time of release [remission, a break from work] has been proclaimed [called out, announced]. word study 3 You may collect [exact, require payment] something from a foreigner [stranger, non-Israelite], but you must forgive [release, let go of] whatever your brother [fellow Israelite, close relative] owes you [is indebted to you, has a debt with you]. word study 4 There will be no [needy or oppressed] poor among you, however, because the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will surely [greatly, abundantly] bless you in the land [the soil or ground, a country or territory] that the LORD your God [Elohim, the supreme God] is giving you to possess [to take control of, to occupy] as an inheritance [a gift or legacy passed down], word study 5 if only [except, with this one condition] you obey [diligently hearken, carefully listen to] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] and are careful [take care, be diligent] to follow [observe, keep] all [everything, every single one] these commandments [laws, ordinances] I am giving [commanding, instructing] you today [on this day, at this time]. word study 6 When the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] blesses [to praise or honor, conferring prosperity] you as He has promised [spoken, given a divine assurance], you will lend [give temporarily, with expectation of return] to many [a large number, numerous] nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] but borrow [receive temporarily, with obligation to repay] from none [no one, not a single nation]; you will rule [have power over, govern] over many [a large number, numerous] nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] but be ruled [governed, have power exercised over] by none [no one, not a single nation]. word study 7 If there is a poor man [needy, oppressed] among your brothers [close relatives, friends] within any of the gates [city entrances] in the land [territory, region] that the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one true God] is giving you, then you are not to harden [strengthen, make unfeeling] your heart [innermost being, mind] or shut [close, refuse to help] your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] from your poor [needy, impoverished] brother [fellow Israelite, close relative]. word study 8 Instead, you are to [generously, with an open hand] open your hand [symbolizing power or direction] to him and freely [without hesitation] loan [lend, give temporarily] him whatever [sufficient for his need, enough] he needs [is lacking, in a state of shortage]. word study 9 Be careful [beware, take heed] not to harbor this wicked [base, evil] thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release [remission, cancellation of debts], is near,” so that you look upon your poor [needy, oppressed] brother begrudgingly [with an evil eye, coldly] and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] against you, and you will be guilty of sin [a crime, offense against God]. word study 10 Give generously [without hesitation, freely] to him, and do not let your heart [the innermost part of your being, including mind, will, and emotions] be grieved [saddened, afflicted] when you do so. And because of this [on account of your generosity] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] will bless [praise, honor] you in all [every aspect of] your work [deeds, actions] and in everything [all your endeavors] to which you put [extend, apply] your hand [strength, ability]. word study 11 For there will never cease [or come to an end] to be poor [needy, impoverished] in the land [the earth, a country]; that is why I [the Lord] am commanding [giving orders, instructing] you to open wide [to open generously, to give freely] your hand [your power, your resources] to your brother [your fellow man, your neighbor] and to the poor [afflicted, humble] and needy [depressed, weak] in your land [your territory, your country]. word study 12 If a fellow Hebrew [a descendant of Eber, an Israelite], a man or a woman [a female sibling or a close relative], is sold [given over as a servant or slave] to you and serves [works or labors] you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free [release him from bondage, let him go]. word study 13 And when you release [set free, let go] him, do not send [let him depart, dismiss] him away [from your presence] empty-handed [without provision, in need of nothing, with nothing in his hands]. word study 14 You are to furnish him liberally [with generosity and abundance] from your flock [sheep or goats], your threshing floor [a place of harvest and blessing], and your winepress [a source of joy and celebration]. You shall give to him as the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator, who blesses and cares for His people] has blessed you [bestowed prosperity and favor upon you]. word study 15 Remember [to recall, to mark] that you were [once] slaves [servants, bondmen] in the land [country, territory] of Egypt, and the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] redeemed [ransomed, set free] you; that is why [for this reason, therefore] I am giving you this command [instruction, charge] today [at this present time]. word study 16 But if your servant [male slave, bondservant] says to you, ‘I do not want to leave [go away from, depart] you,’ because he loves [has affection for, is devoted to] you and your household [family, those belonging to you] and is well off [happy, content] with you, word study 17 then take [use, employ] an awl [a sharp tool, like a piercer] and pierce [thrust, drive] it through his ear [the organ of hearing] into the door [the entrance, the threshold], and he will become [be, exist as] your servant [slave, bondservant, one bound to serve] for life [forever, always, perpetually]. And treat [act towards, deal with] your maidservant [female slave, servant-girl, one bound to serve] the same way [likewise, in a similar manner]. word study 18 Do not regard it as a hardship [or consider it a loss] to set your servant [slave, bondservant] free, because his six years of service [labor, bondage] were worth twice [double, a full compensation] the wages [payment, reward] of a hired hand [laborer, worker]. And the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Ruler] will bless [bestow favor, prosper] you in all [every aspect, everything] you do [undertake, accomplish]. word study 19 You must set apart [dedicate, consecrate] to the LORD [Yehovah, the one true God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] every firstborn [born first, of highest rank] male [masculine] produced by your herds [cattle, livestock] and flocks [sheep, goats]. You are not [never, under no circumstances] to put the firstborn [chief, most important] of your oxen [cattle, work animals] to work [labor, servitude], nor are you to shear [cut, clip] the firstborn [prime, of highest quality] of your flock [sheep, herd]. word study 20 Each year [year by year, annually] you and your household [family, those belonging to you] are to eat it [partake, devour] before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] in the place [location] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will choose [select, appoint]. word study 21 But if an animal has a defect [blemish, flaw or imperfection], is lame [crippled, physically disabled] or blind [unable to see, spiritually or physically], or has any serious flaw [ill blemish, moral or physical], you must not sacrifice [offer, slaughter] it to the LORD [Yehovah, the one supreme God] your God [Elohim, the Creator and Ruler]. word study 22 Eat it within your gates [at your homes, inside your city]; both the ceremonially unclean [spiritually impure, unacceptable to God] and clean [pure, morally upright] may eat it as they would a gazelle [beauty, splendor; a gazelle] or a deer [a male deer, hart]. word study 23 But you must not [refrain from, abstain] eat the blood [the liquid that flows through the body]; pour it [drain, shed] on the ground [land, earth] like [as, similar to] water [a source of refreshment]. word study